HISTORY
Rajasthan literally, "Land of
Kings" is India's largest
state by area (342,239 square kilometres (132,139 sq mi)
or 10.4% of India's total area). It is located on the north western side of the
India, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert (also known as the "Rajasthan Desert"
and "Great Indian Desert") and shares a border with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab to the northwest and Sindh
to the west, along the Sutlej-Indus
river valley. Elsewhere it is bordered by five other Indian states: Punjab to the north; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to the northeast; Madhya Pradesh to the southeast; and Gujarat to the southwest.
Major features include the ruins
of the Indus Valley Civilisation
at Kalibanga; the Dilwara Temples, a Jain pilgrimage site at Rajasthan's only hill station, Mount Abu, in the ancient Aravalli mountain range; and, in eastern Rajasthan, the Keoladeo National Park
near Bharatpur, a World Heritage Site known
for its bird life. Rajasthan is also home to three national tiger
reserves, the Ranthambore National Park
in Sawai Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar
and Mukundra Hill Tiger Reserve in Kota.
The state was formed on 30 March
1949 when Rajputana – the name adopted by the British Raj for its dependencies in the region – was
merged into the Dominion of India. Its capital and largest city is Jaipur. Other important cities are Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Kota and Ajmer.
The ancient civilised history of
Rajasthan goes back to 5,000 years ago when in the present day districts of Jhunjhunu and Sikar, along with other areas of jaipur
district bordering south Haryana, which formed the part of Vedic state of Brahmavarta along with districts of Mahendragarh and Rewari in
Haryana, that Vedic seers started composing Vedic scriptures, which form part
of Sanatan Dharma, the base of present day Hinduism. Revered Saraswati and Drishadwati rivers formed the then Brahmavarta state.
Drishadwati river is identified as the Vedic Drishadwati by Bhargava.[1] Parts of Rajasthan may have been occupied by the Indus Valley Civilization
(Harappans). Excavations at Kalibanga in northern Rajasthan around
1998 revealed the existence of human settlements of Harappan times on the banks
of a river that dried up later, which some people believe to be the Saraswati,
archaeologists hope the Saraswati will unlock mysteries of the past.
Rajasthan's geographic position in India has caused it to be affected by the
expansionist efforts of various empires. It was a part of the Maurya Empire
around 321-184 BCE.
Prithviraj Chauhan
defeated the invading Muhammad Ghori in the First Battle of Tarain in
1191 and in fifteen further battles before himself being defeated when he was
betrayed by one of his own.
After the
defeat of Chauhan around 1200, a part of Rajasthan came under Muslim rulers.
The principal centers of their powers were Nagaur and Ajmer. Ranthambhor was also under their suzerainty. At the beginning
of the 13th century, the most prominent and powerful state of Rajasthan was
Mewar. The Rajputs resisted the Muslim incursions into India, although a number
of Rajput kingdoms eventually became subservient to the Delhi Sultanate. Mewar led others in resistance to Muslim
rule: Rana Sanga united the various Rajput clans and fought against
the foreign powers in India. Rana Sanga defeated the Afghan Lodi Empire of Delhi and crushed the Turkic Sultanates of
Malwa and Gujarat. Rana Sanga was later defeated at Khanwa aginst the Mughal Empire because of treachery from the Tomar king Silhadi.
Akbar arranged
matrimonial alliances to gain the trust of Rajput rulers. He himself married
the Rajput princess Jodha Bai, the daughter of
the Maharaja of Amer. He also granted high offices to a
large number of Rajput princes and this maintained very cordial relations with
them. Before long, these actions caused many previously hostile Rajputs to be
his friends, and many of them surrendered their kingdoms to him. Rulers like
Raja Maan Singh
of Amer were trusted allies. However, some Rajput rulers were not ready to
accept Akbar’s dominance and preferred to remain independent. One such ruler
was Raja Uday Singh of Mewar, who founded the city of Udaipur. He never accepted Akbar's supremacy and was at
constant war with him. Akbar forcefully seized Chittor, his capital. After his death, this struggle was
continued by his son – Rana Pratap. He fought a terrible battle
with Akbar at the Haldighat pass where
he was defeated and wounded. Since then Rana Pratap remained in recluse for 12
years and attacked the Mughal ruler from time to time. He fought valiantly
throughout his life never ceded his independence to the Mughal ruler.
When Rajput
rulers lost their lands to invaders during the medieval period, their womenfolk
would commit suicide by self-immolation on a pyre. This was a
gesture to protect their chastity and self-respect, and it was known as Jauhar.
Rajasthan's
formerly independent kingdoms created a rich architectural and cultural
heritage, seen today in their numerous forts and palaces (Mahals and Havelis) which are enriched by features of
Muslim and Jain architecture.
Geography
of Rajasthan
Lying between 23°30' and 30°11'North latitudes and 69° 29' and 78 ° 17' East longitudes in the northwestern part of India, Rajasthan is indeed one of the biggest states in the country. The state shares its north-western and western boundary with the Indo-Pakistan international border that extends about 1,070 km and touches the major districts including Barmer, Ganganagar and Jaisalmer.
Rajasthan is edged by Pakistan in the west
and northwest, the states of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in the north and
northeast. The state of Madhya Pradesh lies in the southeast and Gujrat in the
southwest. The Tropic of Cancer passes across the southern point of the state
in the Banswara district. The capital city of Rajasthan is Jaipur also known as
the Pink City.
Rajasthan has an extensive area of 3, 42,239sq.km comprising of 11% of the total geographical area of India. The extensive topography includes rocky terrain, rolling sand dunes, wetlands, barren tracts or land filled with thorny scrubs, river-drained plains, plateaus, ravines and wooded regions .A massive portion of the state of Rajasthan( about 70% of total landmass) is desiccated and encloses the biggest Indian desert- the Thar Desert known as the 'Maru-kantar'. This desert region embraces the districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur.
The oldest chain of fold mountains
Rajasthan has an extensive area of 3, 42,239sq.km comprising of 11% of the total geographical area of India. The extensive topography includes rocky terrain, rolling sand dunes, wetlands, barren tracts or land filled with thorny scrubs, river-drained plains, plateaus, ravines and wooded regions .A massive portion of the state of Rajasthan( about 70% of total landmass) is desiccated and encloses the biggest Indian desert- the Thar Desert known as the 'Maru-kantar'. This desert region embraces the districts of Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner and Jodhpur.
The oldest chain of fold mountains
The Aravali Range spearheads Rajasthan into two
geographical zones. The Mount Abu is the only hill station of the state which
houses the loftiest summit of the Aravali ranges- Guru Shikhar Peak. The soil
and vegetation of Rajasthan alters with its wide-ranging topography and the
availability of water. Rajasthan soils are mostly sandy, saline, alkaline and
chalky (calcareous), Clay, loamy and black lava and so on. Only 9.36% of the
total geographical region lies under forest vegetation. The flora and fauna are
particularly endemic to the arid regions and are specially adapted biologically
to survive in the dry, waterless regions of the "Desert State of
India". The wildlife consists of 23 species of lizards, 25 species of
snakes, various species of the deer family and 450 species of avifauna.
Rajasthan experiences extreme climate or weather and
consists of four distinct seasons- Pre-monsoon, Monsoon, Post-monsoon and
winter. The average temperature in winter ranges from 8° to 28° C (46° to 82°
F) and in summer the average temperature ranges from 25° to 46° C (77° to 115°
F) making the region parched and draught-prone.
History
of Rajasthan
Considered
as the original abode of Kshatriyas, Rajasthan has a history of about 5000
years and the mythological origin of this gigantic land is related to the
famous myth of Ram, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The history of
Rajasthan can be classified into three parts owing to the different epochs-
Ancient, Medieval and Modern. The ancient history of Rajasthan belongs to 1200
AD when Rajasthan was a part of different dynasties including the glorious
Mauryan Empire in around (321-184 BC). The Dundhmer region was the first Aryan
settlement and the first inhabitants of this area were the Bhil and the Mina.
The earliest Rajput dynasty that emerged around 700 AD was the Gurjara Partiharas
and since then Rajasthan was cited as Rajputana (the land of the Rajputs).
During the eighth - twelfth century AD, the Rajput clan gained supremacy and
the Rajputs were divided into 36 royal clans and 21 dynasties. The armed
conflicts and the struggle for supremacy among the Parmars, Chalukyas, and
Chauhans around 1000-1200 AD resulted in a lot of bloodshed.
In
this medieval era around 1200 AD, the major regions of Rajasthan such as
Nagaur, Ajmer and Ranthanbhor came under the Mughal hegemony headed by the
Mughal ruler- Akbar. The most famous Rajput warriors who represented the vigor
and valiance of the Rajput dynasty and whose tales of chivalry are still
imprinted in the sands of Rajasthan were Rana Uday Singh, his son Rana Pratap,
Bhappa Rawal, Rana Kumbha and Prithviraj Chauhan and others.
With the end of the Mughal regime in1707, the Marathas gained supremacy and captured Ajmer in1775. The Maratha ascendancy ended in the late 17th century with the British suzerainty in 1817-18. On 1st November, 1956 the Indian state Rajasthan came into existence after the amalgamation of the princely states.
With the end of the Mughal regime in1707, the Marathas gained supremacy and captured Ajmer in1775. The Maratha ascendancy ended in the late 17th century with the British suzerainty in 1817-18. On 1st November, 1956 the Indian state Rajasthan came into existence after the amalgamation of the princely states.
Popularly
known as the 'Land of Kings', Rajasthan actually epitomizes the core essence of
the country. The kings' proud moustaches reflected their confidence and their
swords revealed their artistic armour. The rulers of Rajasthan were also known
for their extreme sensitivity that allowed them to offer patronage to the
numerous artists residing in different corners of the world. A truly opulent
centre for arts and crafts, Rajasthan has a rich collection of forts, palaces,
elaborate wells, templates, mansions and memorials of the dead kings/rulers.
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Facts about State of Rajasthan
Name: The state “Rajasthan” is also known as “The Land of Kings”.
Existence: It was created on 30th March, 1949.
Boundary: It is surrounded by Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.
Population: As per census 2011, the total population of Rajasthan is 68,621,012. Rajasthan holds 7th rank in population wise (source: Wikipedia).
Land Area: The total area of Rajasthan is 342,239 sq. km. Rajasthan holds 1st position in rank as area wise.
Language: Hindi is its Official Language.
Literacy: Its Literacy Ratio is 68%
City: Jaipur is its Capital City. Jaipur is also the largest city of the state. Jaipur is also known as the “Pink City”.
District: There are 33 districts present in Rajasthan.
Festivals: Main festivals which are celebrated in a large way are Teej, Holi, Gangaur, Diwali, Makar Sakranti, Janmashtami, etc.
Religion: Religions which are present in Rajasthan are
Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Jainism. Around 0.53% peoples follow some
other religions.
Connectivity: Rajasthan is well connected via Roadways, Railways and Airways. It has 3 main airports which are in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur.
Places of Interests: Rajasthan has 2 National Tiger Reserves: Ranthambore and Sariska Tiger Reserve.
Unknown facts of Rajasthan
- Rajasthan once used to be a part of the world's oldest civilization, the pre-historic Indus Valley Civilization. Excavations at Kalibangan, a town in the Hanumangarh district, about 200 kms from Bikaner have revealed artifacts dating back to the ancient civilization along with the discovery of ploughed fields, probably the world’s earliest ones.
- In Hindu mythology, the state of Rajasthan has an importance all of its own. It is believed that Lord Ram of the Hindu epic Ramayana spent sometime in thejungles of Rajasthan during his 14 year long exile, as did thePandavas from another Hindu magnum opus, the Mahabharata.
- The ancient city of Mandore, about 10 kms north of Jodhpur, is believed to have been the hometown of Mandodari, the chief wife of the demon king Ravana of Lanka, who was killed by Lord Ram.
- The mystic Saraswati River, one of the main ancient rivers revered by the Hindus, is believed to have disappeared under the sands of the Thar Desert, due to the emergence of the Aravali range of mountains.
- The Aravalis are the oldest mountain range in India, even older than the Himalayas.
- The Thar Desert is the largest desert in India and the world’s 18th largest sub-tropical desert.
- Present day Rajasthan was formed on 30th March, 1949 after the merger of 22 kingdoms and principalities into a single geographic entity. Today, it is thelargest state in India with Jaipur, the largest city as its capital.
- Tiger viewing in Bandhavargh, Kanha, Jim Corbett and Ranthambore National Parks
- The city of Jaipur was founded by the king Sawai Jai Singh II on18thNovember 1727 and is arguably India’s first planned city as per the ancient Hindu doctrines of architecture, Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra. It was planned by a Bengali architect and scholar Purohit Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya, whose descendents still live in the city.
- Jaipur is also known as the Pink City on account of the pink color that was used to coat the buildings of the walled city, as a mark of respect for the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1876.
- The sun city of Jodhpur is the second largest city of Rajasthan and is known as the Blue City on account of the bright blue painted houses that surround the hill on which the formidable Mehrangarh fort is situated.
- The Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur has been the site for many Bollywood and Hollywood movies, the most famous being the Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight.
- The city of lakes, Udaipur, is also known as the White City on account of the predominance of white-colored structures in the city.
- A preferred shooting location, Udaipur too is a favorite for Bollywood and Hollywood movies. The enchanting Lake Palace on Lake Pichola was immortalized as the lair of Octopussy, in the swashbuckling James Bondmovie of the same name.
- 14) Rajasthan is home to some great UNESCO World Heritage SiteslikeKeoladeo Bird Sanctury (Bharatpur) and Jantar Mantar(Jaipur). Six forts -Kumbhalgarh Fort, Chittorgarh Fort,Ranthambore Fort, Amer Fort, Jaisalmer Fort and Gagaron Fort (Jhalawar) - are a recent addition to the existing list.
- The walls of the virtually impregnable Kumbhalgarh Fort extend to 36 kms and are believed to be the second-longest continuous wall in the world after the Great Wall of China.
- The ancient Jaisalmer Fort is unique in that it is still lived in. The fort is still the home to a large mass of population making it perhaps the onlyinhabited fort in the world.
- Pokhran, a town in Jaisalmer, has a great place in modern Indian history. It was the site of India’s first nuclear test in 1974 as well as the second nuclear test in 1998.
- The Karni Mata Temple at Deshnok, about 30 kms from Bikaner, is also out of the ordinary. Here more than 20,000 black rats reside within the temple and are said to be the reincarnated male heirs of the presiding deity Karni Mata.
- For the believers of supernatural powers, there are many haunted abandoned ruins to explore in Rajasthan. The ghost village of Kuldhara, 18 kms from Jaisalmer, became deserted overnight one fateful night in 1825, and both this settlement and the cursed town of Bhangarh in Alwar district have achieved cult status.
Districts
The population of the districts in the State of Rajasthan by census years.| Name | Status | Population Census 1991-03-01 | Population Census 2001-03-01 | Population Census 2011-03-01 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajmer | District | 1,726,600 | 2,178,447 | 2,583,052 |
| Alwar | District | 2,295,600 | 2,991,552 | 3,674,179 |
| Banswara | District | 1,096,000 | 1,420,601 | 1,797,485 |
| Baran | District | 810,300 | 1,021,473 | 1,222,755 |
| Barmer | District | 1,435,222 | 1,964,835 | 2,603,751 |
| Bharatpur | District | 1,650,600 | 2,100,020 | 2,548,462 |
| Bhilwara | District | 1,599,000 | 2,020,969 | 2,408,523 |
| Bikaner | District | 1,381,200 | 1,696,039 | 2,363,937 |
| Bundi | District | 770,248 | 962,620 | 1,110,906 |
| Chittaurgarh (Chittorgarh) | District | 1,104,600 | 1,330,360 | 1,544,338 |
| Churu | District | 1,373,200 | 1,902,110 | 2,039,547 |
| Dausa | District | 999,300 | 1,323,002 | 1,634,409 |
| Dhaulpur (Dholpur) | District | 749,500 | 983,258 | 1,206,516 |
| Dungarpur | District | 874,549 | 1,107,643 | 1,388,552 |
| Ganganagar (Sri Ganganagar) | District | 1,402,500 | 1,789,423 | 1,969,168 |
| Hanumangarh | District | 1,220,400 | 1,518,005 | 1,774,692 |
| Jaipur | District | 3,888,000 | 5,251,071 | 6,626,178 |
| Jaisalmer | District | 344,517 | 508,247 | 669,919 |
| Jalor (Jalore) | District | 1,142,563 | 1,448,940 | 1,828,730 |
| Jhalawar | District | 956,971 | 1,180,323 | 1,411,129 |
| Jhunjhunu | District | 1,582,421 | 1,913,689 | 2,137,045 |
| Jodhpur | District | 2,153,483 | 2,886,505 | 3,687,165 |
| Karauli | District | 924,700 | 1,205,888 | 1,458,248 |
| Kota | District | 1,220,500 | 1,568,705 | 1,951,014 |
| Nagaur | District | 2,144,810 | 2,775,058 | 3,307,743 |
| Pali | District | 1,486,432 | 1,820,251 | 2,037,573 |
| Pratapgarh | District | 553,900 | 706,807 | 867,848 |
| Rajsamand | District | 819,000 | 982,523 | 1,156,597 |
| Sawai Madhopur | District | 875,800 | 1,117,057 | 1,335,551 |
| Sikar | District | 1,842,914 | 2,287,788 | 2,677,333 |
| Sirohi | District | 654,029 | 851,107 | 1,036,346 |
| Tonk | District | 975,006 | 1,211,671 | 1,421,326 |
| Udaipur | District | 1,952,300 | 2,481,201 | 3,068,420 |
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